The European Union has set an official deadline for when all smartphones sold in its jurisdiction must have a USB-C port, including the iPhone.

The EU officially approved the common charger law in October, but a specific date for when the law would come into force was unknown. Now, in a newly published directive, the EU says all smartphones must have USB-C by December 28, 2024. Other consumer products, such as tablets and gadgets, will also be required to switch to USB-C under the new law. Products that rely solely on wireless charging with no port will not have to include USB-C.

Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak "Joz," confirmed that Apple would have no choice but to adhere to the EU's new law. Joz didn't say when Apple would make the switch to USB-C and away from Lightning, but with the December 2024 deadline, Apple could wait until the ‌iPhone‌ 16 in September 2024 before transitioning to the newer port.

Reports suggest that Apple is planning to make the switch to USB-C earlier than the fall of 2024 with the iPhone 15 in September 2023. Other Apple products and accessories such as the AirPods and Mac keyboards, mouses, and trackpads are also expected to follow suit with USB-C shortly after.